Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In some of the most personal and unscripted comments on race of his presidency , President Barack Obama broke his silence Friday with surprise remarks from the White House on Trayvon Martin , his first public comments since a Florida jury acquitted George Zimmerman in the teenager 's shooting death .

`` You know , when Trayvon Martin was first shot , I said that this could have been my son , '' said Obama , who entered the White House briefing room Friday afternoon without notes or a teleprompter . `` Another way of saying that is Trayvon Martin could have been me , 35 years ago . ''

`` And when you think about why , in the African-American community at least , there 's a lot of pain around what happened here , I think it 's important to recognize that the African-American community is looking at this issue through a set of experiences and a history that does n't go away . ''

But across the country , different audiences appear to have heard very different things in Obama 's remarks .

From social media to comments on the Web to on-air discussions , Obama 's remarks were seen as both `` a truly historic moment '' and simultaneously said to have been `` fanning the flames of racism . ''

`` So much for this president ` transcending ' race , '' said conservative commentator Tara Setmayer on her Facebook feed . `` Obama 's comments as President of the United States today were quite provocative and racially inflammatory . ''

Robert Camacho had just the opposite feeling , commenting on CNN.com . `` Thank you Mr. President . I am proud of you taking the first step , is up to ALL of US to stop this . ''

But Tasha Wells shot back on Facebook : `` STOP RACE BAITING !!!!! He is not guilty . Stop this mad witch hunt ! ''

CNN senior political analyst Gloria Borger focused on the tone Obama took , saying that the president was speaking from the heart , `` not using a teleprompter , like we very often see this president using . The words that come to mind are heartfelt , '' she said . `` Very sober about this . Talking about how African-Americans look at this case through a history that does n't go away . ''

Phillip Agnew , executive director of Dream Defenders , an activist group that promotes nonviolent social change and has been protesting Florida 's `` stand your ground '' law , told CNN that he was encouraged Obama `` was speaking about the issues in the way we are speaking about the issues . ''

`` I hope he follows that up with action ... in any way that he can , '' Agnew said .

Agnew praised the president for `` lending his voice to the situation '' and `` showing some bravery and showing some leadership at the top . '' He added that `` we 're hoping other leaders , including our governor , follow suit . ''

Gov. Rick Scott met overnight Friday with Dream Defenders protesters staging a sit-in at the governor 's office and defended his position not to amend the controversial law . The protesters said they will continue their sit-in until their demand is met .

Obama last dealt with themes of race head-on as a presidential candidate in 2008 , when he talked about his own struggles with race during a speech at Constitution Center in Philadelphia .

`` At various stages in the campaign , some commentators have deemed me either ` too black ' or ` not black enough , ' '' he said then .

Donna Brazile , a CNN contributor and former head of the Democratic National Committee , responded on Twitter to Obama 's comment that he did n't see a need for politicians to lead a national discussion on race .

Responding to Obama 's comment that he did n't `` think it 's particularly productive when politicians try to convene discussions '' on race , she tweeted `` Agree with #POTUS . ''

Ben Ferguson , a conservative commentator and CNN political contributor , was surprised that Obama even addressed the issue of race .

`` I 'm shocked because he said he was going to be the president for everyone , and obviously today he said I 'm going to be the president for just the African-American community , and everyone else better listen up , '' said Ferguson . `` The president 's job is to be president for everyone . He basically said to everyone protesting that the system is broken for African-Americans . You have a right to be angry about this . ''

Both others pushed back .

`` This is n't something that Black men make up or want to happen , '' said CNN 's Don Lemon . `` If you have the most powerful African-American man in the world telling you that there is a problem -- there 's nothing in this politically for him -- perhaps people like Ben Ferguson ... should listen , should sleep on it , before they react and deny the context of what could have happen to Trayvon Martin and what could be , what is happening to most African-American men in this country . ''

According to a recent Gallup poll released before the Zimmerman verdict , 52 % of African-American are dissatisfied about how blacks are treated by society , while 47 % say they are satisfied .

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NEW : Head of group protesting Florida law praises president for `` bravery '' of remarks

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Obama made surprise comments on the George Zimmerman verdict

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Reactions , however , varied wildly and were polarized

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`` So much for this president ` transcending ' race , '' says one conservative commentator